Bass fishing and this guy showed up

7lb catfish, but never seen a black catfish before. Thought I had a nice bass there for a 2nd. He hit a square bill bouncing it off the rocks.

Yellow cat

It is spawning time for the catfish. They will hit a moving bait this time of year.

I’ve been catching some nice cats while bass fishing.
This is two different trips a week apart.

Almost looks like a Mudcat.

It is a flathead catfish (pylodictis olivaris). Flathead catfish are called by different common names all over the country. They like sunfish and sometimes crankbaits.

They also like white spinnerbaits! And the bigger ones will straighten out the wire.

Nice Greg!! Cats will def bite a crankbait! My tourney partner and I were fishing a tourney at Cedar Creek years ago throwing bandits around docks. He hooks what we think is a double digit bass that takes off (luckily) out from under the dock to deeper water. 10 minutes later we haul out a 40 lb + yellow cat. The people at the dock were hooting and hollering the whole time we were trying to get it into the net! LOL! What a rodeo!

In the summer if you are throwing a spinner or crankbait on Tawakoni all day you are going to catch a catfish.

I caught a 40lb yellow on a rattle trap one afternoon.

It is a Flat head catfish locals call it yellow cat. same fish

Caught two on Falcon last week during a shad spawn on a squarebill. Slime all over my line.

I’ve done that on Roberts a bunch bouncing a squarebill off rocks... you think you hooked a tank then it starts to roll and you know...

I think just about every bass angler has lucked into catfish a time or two.

Last year during the Sam Rayburn fall shootout my dad and I were fishing brushpiles. I tossed out a 10" worm and felt a good thump, when I set the hook I started telling my dad big un get the net, ended up being 15 pound yellow cat.

Flathead. I have caught them several times on cranks.

Ol' Mr. Whiskers..knows how to get the heart pumping!!

Got one on a Zara Spook years ago on Fayette. Had no idea they would hit a top water.

When i catch them that size i will keep em. Great eating that size. Way better then crappie imo that size

Nice Op!

Always nice to get a bonus fish that taste so good.

They like bream colored crankbaits and traps!

Caught a 22 lb blue cat on a Fat Free Shad at Alan Henry in 2013. That was a ride I tell you.

Caught more on jig and pig than any thing else

I knew a guy that trolled Hellbenders for catfish on Lewisville back in the 60-70s and I have caught my share on Spinner baits, jigs, worms, top waters and cranks. When they are hungry they will eat what ever gets in front of them.

Fished way up the Brazos yesterday above Whitney. Area way up river that has 42’ deep hole. Saw a bunch of fish on the graph. Bass fishing had been slow so what the heck. Tied on a slab and quickly found out what was down there. Not a 6lber but catfish sardines!

I've caught them a bunch just not a flathead. Had never seen a black one like that. Every once in a while I'll nab some sand bass and there's always cats that will hit your slab on the bottom.

I done that same thing at Chambers on 309 flats this time of year, saw what had to be tens of thousands of fish on graph but it looked weird because they were so small

Same thing for me last week on a 5XD, it was small and fast so I cut the line and said goodbye to the 5XD. My fingers and hand thanked me for it I’m sure.

Some people call them Appaloosa.

I caught my first accidental cat yesterday. On a chartreuse 1/2 oz. roadrunner! It was after three little bass hit it over a half hour period. Felt a lot bigger than it was!

I've caught several on a 7" blue fleck Powerworm. Caught a 12 to 15 lber that was blacker than that at lake Daniels a few years ago.

Caught a 27 lber last fall on a Texas rigged trick worm, felt a tap, set the hook, solid. Then it started to move! Once I saw how big it was I had to get it in the boat and weight the dang thing! BTW that is a size 14 foot for reference. I let it go and it slowly swam off, we were both tired! Rod was a 7' MH with 15 lb Seaguar Invisx! It was fun.

Always nice to get a large fish you did not expect.
Know that was a fun fight with your rod.
Great job.
So are you a catfisherman now?

I was fishing a Media Solo on Tawakoni one year, caught a 9 and 5lb catfish on a red rattletrap. Imagine the initial excitement on the hit and then the total disappointment once I discovered what it was on the end of the line.